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Letters Patent No. 98,049, dated December 21, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT RAHIWAfY-CAR TRUCKS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the sama.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PERRY G. GARDINER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have' invented,

new and useful Improvements in Railway-(lar Trucks, and in the manner of constructing and attaching journal springs and their bearings; and that the following is a lilll and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and making part of this, my specification. The object of the -first part of my invention is to soften and reduce the shock and jar resulting from the swaying of the car-body upon the bolster, by which the bolster is caused to more in a lateral direction on either side, the ends ofwhich, striking against the side frame ot' the truck, as heretofore constructed, cause a violent concussion or shock; and

My invention, in this respect, consists in the combining and arranging togcther'the springs, cases, and plungeis, at the ends oi' the holsters, so as, by their elastic action, to prevent such concussion or shock.

The second part of my invention consists in a peculiar combination, construct-ion, and arrangement of the bearing-plate or-table, the sockets, and the checks of the pedestal, between which bearing-table and sockets ,'the springs are hung and supported.'

'lhe various ligures and sect-ions o the drawing'will be referred to and'explained particularly asthe description of the invention is proceeded with.

In all the figures, similar letters lepresent similar parts.

The exterior frame-pieces of the truck are shown at A on Piate I, wherehigure l represents a top view of a truck. n

B is the bolster of the truck, upon which thc carbody is placed, having a king-holt passingdown through it fiom the car-body, at b, the bolster being suspended and support-ed by the sand-board c,`underneath, which is held and supported by the horizontal and vertical cross-bars and rods b b2, Figures 1,8, and Si, and which have their bearings upon the horizontal cross framepieces a a, fig. 1, the body-springs b, lig. 8, being inrerpc sed between the holster and sand-board. These are constructed in the usual manner.

Between the ends of the bolster and the side framepeces, a space is left,`in which the bolste'plays or moves a short dist-ance, from side to side, as the .carbody ysways from side4 to side in its running. v

For the purpose of alleviating and. softening the concussion of the bolster and ot' the car upon the truck-sides, I construct, arrange, and combine springs in cases, and peculiarly adapted to the object, in the manner now to be described.

These springs are made of spirally-coiled steel, and may be packed with auxiliary pacldng, or without.

The springs are placed in a cylindrical case, open at one end, and" areesliown at d in Figure 6, Plate I, in-

vertical cross-section through the centre of case and spring, and the accompanying parts. They are shown in position in the. end ofthe bolster in dotted lines, at (l, in iig. 1, and also in iig, 9.

Upon the operi end'of the case 'of spring '1I is a flange, e, and upon this is also an oblong plate, f, fastened .upon it, and which is also fastened, bya. screw or bolt, to the end of the bolster, so a's to be flush with the face of the end of the bolster. l

The dange'e and plate f are seen in vertical crosssection in fig. 6, Plate I, and in top view in Figure 7. Upon the outer end of the spring d, is alixed a plunger,-g, which passes through the plate f by an lopening, closely fitting the plunger, and the plunger projects between the end of the bolster and the side of' the truck-frame. f

Upon the inner surface of the truck-frame is secured a flat plate of iron, upon which the plunger-head acts.- 1

The outer face of the plunger is slightly rounded. By the elasticity of the spring operating upon the plunger, the end of the plunger is always pressed upon the plate in the side framc'of the`truck.`

'The spring is so constructed and arranged,'as that when first acted upon hy the swaying of the car, and corresponding lateral mpvement of the bolster, it pieserts but oc/xpparatively'sliglit resistance; but the resistance rapidly increases, so as to arrest the movement ofthe bolsterI by an elastic action, without perstop or shock.

meut of the car, while in motion and turning curves, is ,made easy, and more safe from accidents arising from the shock or jar ofthe car-body nponthe truckframe, which is Voften so severe in the usual construction as to lift the truck and wheels from the rails. The comfort of the passengers and the durability-oi' Inow proceed to describe the second part ot'myin-v vention and improvements, .which are'constructed, arranged, and operate as follows: L

Upon the under side or face of the jaws of the pedf estal, on either side of the journal-case or housing, and cast solid with the pedestal or jaws, I construct circular recesses, to surround and hold the journalspriiigs within them, to nearly the whole length of the springs, in averticalposition.

'lhe springs are spiral-springs.

The lower ends oi' these spring-sockets or recesses are open, and the springprojects below the open end yet not permit the open end of the oase to come iny contact with the hearing of the spring underneath'.

nl itting thebolster to receive a sudden and abrupt By this improvement, the swaying and lateral moveL the car are alsomuch promoted by this improvement. .l

suiiioiently l'ar to allow the'A full play ofthe spring, and,"

The-se cylindrical sockets or recesses are shown with the springs therein, in side ei'eytion, in fig; 9, Plate II,

and in dotted lines, in similar elevation, in g. 8; h, being the spring; i, the cylindrical socket containing the spring.

Upon the box or housing of the journal, and which box or housing is firmly secured to its position over the end of the axle,is cast solid with the box or housing, and underneath it,'t'he supporting-plate or bearing, 7a, of'the journal-springs, figs. 8 and 9.

This hearing-plate 7s extends and projects on either side of the housing, a't its lowest point,csuoiently far to aiiord a base to the springs.

By this construction, the pedestal, which is fest to and supports the truck. over the journal, has its bear ing upon the head of tire springs Inwhich are inter-v posed between the pedestal and the bearings, k, ofthe journal -case or housing, as before described.

This arrangement and construction dispenses with the heavy equaliziug-bar generally used for the journal or truckfspr'iugs, vand allows the requisite greater I actionoi the journal-springs, which cannot be obl tained when the journal-springs are placed directly over the journahand, at the same time, secures the advantage and iaf'ety of'hanging the car lower upon the f axles than by-.any means heretofore used, thus adding to the safety of the car, aud saving the weight vand expense of the equalizing-baro, and also giving an increased space for the play for the springs.'

, Figures 2 and 3, Plate' I, are horizontal i ross-sections of the pedestal, and circular recesses, ane springs within them, and of thehous'mg, and a. top view of the housing, endk tle parts attached', which furnish a. bearing to the journal-springs.

Having-thus described my improvements, and the manner of constructing the same..

What i claim therein as my invention, and for which I desir-'e' Letters Patent, is" i l. The combination of the springs d with the cases and the plungers or spring-heads, constructed and operst-ing as described. I also claiu:,pa1ticularly,as my invention, the construction ofa bolster-buier or spring, made with a projecting head or plunger, to act upon the plated face ofthe side-truck frame-piece, in the manner and for the purposes described.

'2. vThe combination of the springs', the bearingplate or table, and the sockets for supportingr and car 'l'ying the springs" within the checks of `tl1e pedestal, constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner and for the purposes described.

P. G. GARDINER.

Witnesses:

J. STAPLES, C. PH. WAGNER. 

